METROPOLITAN Police strongly warned Thammasat and Assembly group from holding a demonstration at Ratchaprasong intersection at 1 p.m. tomorrow (August 10) as this is a maximum control zone where coronavirus is spreading heavily and they would also be violating the emergency decree that currently bans gatherings, Siam Rath newspaper said this afternoon.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Piya Tawichai, deputy chief and spokesman of Metropolitan Police, added that encouraging others to join this demonstration and hiring people to do so via online platforms is also illegal.
Police have already identified the financier and have obtained financial evidence to issue an arrest warrant, he said, adding the inquiries are being made that those who attend these rallies regularly earn 2,000 to 3,000 baht.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Piya added that if he revealed the name of the suspect everyone would know him.
Read reports on demonstrations: ‘Renegade’ upper-middle-class demonstrators join anti-Prayut street protest
Police fire tear gas, rubber bullets at anti-Prayut protesters again
In pictures: Police and protesters clash at Din Daeng junction
Police have asked army to help if today’s rallies turn violent
Five police officers were injured in the demonstrations over the last weekend including Pol LCpl Nitinai Krongsom who was shot in the neck but luckily the bullet hit his thyroid gland which if it had burst would have led to his death.
Moreover seven cars, four motorcycles, four police boxes and several private assets were damaged.
Meanwhile Pol. Col. Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, said previously approximately 10,000 people in 40 provinces participated in the “car mob” demonstrations but on Saturday August 7 around 1,000 people in 20 provinces did so.
Regarding two media outlets having filed a petition at the Civil Court to control the use of rubber bullets, he said he heard from the media that such a petition had been submitted but confirmed police officers are performing their duties and will take legal action.
CAPTIONS:
Top: The standoff between police and protesters at Din Daeng junction last Saturday (August 7) afternoon.
Home Page: Pol. Maj. Gen. Piya Tawichai. Both photos: Siam Rath
